abbot n : the superior of an abbey of monks [syn: archimandrite]

Misrule \Mis*rule"\, n.
1. The act, or the result, of misruling.
2. Disorder; confusion; tumult from insubordination. Enormous riot and misrule surveyed. --Pope. Abbot, or Lord, of Misrule. See under Abbot, and Lord.

Abbot \Ab"bot\, n. [AS. abbod, abbad, L. abbas, abbatis, Gr. 'abba^s, fr. Syriac abb[=a] father. Cf. Abba, Abb['e].]
1. The superior or head of an abbey.
2. One of a class of bishops whose sees were formerly abbeys. --Encyc. Brit. Abbot of the people. a title formerly given to one of the chief magistrates in Genoa. Abbot of Misrule (or Lord of Misrule), in medi[ae]val times, the master of revels, as at Christmas; in Scotland called the Abbot of Unreason. --Encyc. Brit.

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The word abbot (proper noun), meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery. The female equivalent is Abbess.

The title had its origin in the monasteries of Egypt and Syria, spread through the eastern Mediterranean, and soon became accepted generally in all languages as the designation of the head of a monastery. At first it was employed as a respectful title for any monk, but it was soon restricted by canon law to certain priestly superiors. At times it was applied to various priests, e.g. at the court of the Frankish monarchy the Abbas palatinus ('of the palace') and Abbas castrensis ('of the camp') were chaplains to the Merovingian and Carolingian sovereigns’ court and army respectively. The title "abbot" came into fairly general use in western monastic orders whose members include priests.

• Meaning: Father
• Origin: Hebrew
• Gender: Male

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